Asus also says that reaching customers across India’s towns/cities is key to company’s growth. It’s now present in 600 out of 750 districts with 250+ exclusive stores in the country.
The buzz around artificial intelligence PCs is growing louder by the day, thanks largely to Microsoft’s big push for these next-gen laptops and desktops. But what exactly are AI PCs and how critical will they be for the future of personal computing? According to Arnold Su, vice president of consumer and gaming PCs at Asus India, AI PCs are the new cutting edge but will become standard in the next 5-10 years.
“From a business perspective, what we are looking at AI PCs is similar to the evolution of smartphones 10-12 years ago. Back then, smartphones were treated as a novelty just like how AI PCs are viewed today. But now, nobody talks about smartphones anymore. They are just phones. Similarly, 5-10 years down the line, AI PCs will just become PCs with AI features being standard,” said Su.
Asus is already beginning to integrate basic AI capabilities into its laptop lineup. “What you have seen right now and you will see with our upcoming launches is, we have enhanced our camera technologies and we’ve also enhanced our noise cancellation capabilities. The integration of all these systems we have started in 2021 itself and now with the new chips and new applications building in, we will continue to enhance the customer experience from that. And going forward, you will have more stuff to look forward to,” noted Su.
However, Asus’ current AI integration focuses more on things like computer vision and audio processing rather than bleeding-edge generative AI abilities seen in models like ChatGPT. When asked if Asus has any specific plans to build proprietary generative AI tools, Su did not divulge much. “I can’t talk about future plans at the moment, but currently we are working with multiple partners and we look forward to what we can achieve internally and then we’ll bring the best stuff out for the customers,” he hinted.
While the PC market declined in 2022 due to macroeconomic conditions, Asus India managed to buck the trend and record strong growth. Su believes reaching customers across India through online and offline channels is key to Asus’ success.
“Because India is such a big country, making every product available is very important. So from the PC market point of view, there are three major verticals in India – online space, large format retailer, and the traditional channel. We make our products available through online platforms, large format retail stores as well as the traditional channel which still accounts for 50% of the market. We have partner shops in over 400 districts currently where customers can experience our laptops first-hand before buying. This experience is critical and sets us apart,” explained Su.
Asus now has over 250 exclusive stores across India covering 600 out of 750 districts. The goal is to expand to more towns and cities to stay the second-largest PC brand in India.
In Su’s words, “In Q3 2022, Asus became the number two consumer PC brand in India for the first time, overtaking HP. For 2023, we want to secure this second spot. We will continue focusing on bringing the latest tech across India’s towns and cities.”
This focus on India is not just lip service but core to Asus’ global market strategy. “India is always the first wave country for any new Asus product launch globally. It is our first priority within the company,” emphasised Su.
Contrary to the belief that entry-level devices drive volumes in India, Su has realised that Indian consumers are willing to spend more for better experiences.
“Over the years, we’ve seen Indian customers prefer mainstream and premium laptops over entry-level options. When they invest in a device, they want the satisfaction of having bought the latest tech that meets their needs, regardless of the price point,” he said.
Asus will continue to focus on bringing cutting-edge yet practical innovation to consumers across segments, without fixating on any particular form factor or specification.
“We launched gaming two-in-ones, dual screen, foldable, and handheld gaming PCs last year. There may not be one definitive laptop form factor in the future. As a PC innovator, we will keep bridging the gap between users’ needs and devices,” concluded Su on what customers can expect from Asus moving forward.
Source:indianexpress.com